Mission Statement

The newly formed Leicester Music Board (LMB) will champion the city’s music scene and raise the profile of its diverse and vibrant music industry on a national stage.

The LMB is a partnership of music industry and education organisations and professionals working together to support the growth of the city’s music industry.

It is being supported by Leicester City Council to build on the success of the inaugural Leicester Music Conference which attracted more than 300 delegates, and engaged 30 music organisations, along with many emerging and established artists.

One of the first tasks of the new board will be to guide the development of the Leicester Music Conference and Festival 2025, which is expanding across two days next year.

Take our stakeholder survey here.

Members

Greg Aiello

Greg has recently been appointed as Managing Director at PPL PRS Ltd., the Leicester-based organisation responsible for issuing TheMusicLicence to businesses who play music for their customers or employees.  Although recently stepping into the role of MD, Greg has spent nearly 6 years operating as the company’s Commercial Director, responsible for the growth and development of TheMusicLicence.  Greg has used his 25+ years of senior experience in operational, marketing and commercial roles in major telcos, tech and BPO businesses to lead the PPL PRS teams. Greg has led the business when navigating the turbulent times of Covid-19, increasing awareness of TheMusicLicence to ensure businesses are aware of the benefits of music, and maximising the collection of royalties for the creators and artists that provide the music we all love.

Graham Callister 

Through a career spanning over 25 years Graham has excelled in senior leadership roles in the public, private and charity sectors. With expertise in strategic business planning, fundraising, commissioning, producing and curating Graham has led teams across a diverse and innovative range of UK based and international cultural projects and festivals that have engaged more than 3 million audience members and participants.

 Graham is currently Head of Festivals, Events and Cultural Policy at Leicester City Council, leading on festival development and key strands of the new Cultural and Creative Industries Strategy for the city alongside his role as Chair of the city’s Events Safety Advisory Group.  Graham is also Board and Finance Committee member for Outdoor Arts UK and internationally renowned Aakash Odedra Company.

Sarah Thomson 

Sarah leads a Directorate for the university that is focussed on engagement with organisations, partners, businesses and the communities that we work with as a university to deliver our strategic mission, to create a fairer society and to provide the best student experience.

We strive to connect communities with one another and work on projects, initiatives and events that bring benefit to the university and to the city and county of Leicester and Leicestershire. We have a Civic, Community and Cultural engagement team who work at a grass roots level across the city and county to support initiatives, projects and organisations that are involved in essential work within the local communities.
Sarah is the DMU lead for the Universities Partnership bringing together the three universities in the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland region to work with the local authorities to create positive change for those communities.
She has over 20 years experience of working within the Higher Education Sector in a variety of roles which has given her a deep understanding of how universities work and what they need to do to succeed in the current context of the sector.
Sarah is passionate about education and firmly believes that university is the place where people can explore their true potential and transform their lives into something to be proud of. This ethos is reflected in her authentic leadership style.

Sarah Barton-Wales

As Head of Leicestershire Music, Sarah leads on the delivery of The National Plan for Music Education and the strategic oversight of music education across Leicester and Leicestershire. Sarah has spent many years building meaningful partnerships to enable equity of access to music education. She is delighted to be on the Leicester Music Board to help lead the way in bridging the gap between education and industry, and supporting progression into and through a career in music.

Yasin El Ashrafi 

Dr Yasin El Ashrafi BEM, BCA, FIEP is a multi award winning mentor and entrepreneur. He is the Founder and Owner of HQ Recording Studio, HQ Familia record label, Leicester Music Conference and Director of HQ CAN (Community Arts Network) Community Interest Company. Yasin has worked in various roles in the music industry in Leicester for over a decade and has experience as a music venue owner before starting HQ Familia, he has put on hundreds of events showcasing artists from the around midlands as well as national and international acts from a wide range of genres.

Yasin was awarded a British Empire Medal by the Queen for his services to young people, music and mentoring and also recently awarded an honorary doctorate in music from De Montfort University for supporting students and the local creative industries.

Yasin currently manages 8 artists who are being developed by HQ Familia

Tania Lee 

Tania founded UMC Management in 1993 and has significantly impacted the Drum & Bass scene, managing artists across various genres. A champion for women in music, she has promoted gender equality and collaboration.  Tania was also elected to the board of The MMF (Music Managers Forum) earlier this year.

Kate Rounding 

Kate is the Executive Director of TiME (Technology in Music Education) and a freelance music technology journalist for Music Teacher magazine. She played a key role in delivering the inaugural Leicester Music Conference in partnership with HQ. With 25 years of experience in music, education, and inclusion leadership, Kate is passionate about using music technology to expand access to music-making for young people. Her background as a professional musician, studio engineer, and music lecturer, combined with extensive work in inclusive music and SEN/D settings, informs her leadership of a diverse range of music and arts education projects.

Issie Barrett

Cited by BBC Radio 4’s Women in Music Power list 2018 as one of the 40 most influential women in the music industry, Issie Barratt is an Internationally active multi award-winning composer, saxophonist, musical director, record producer and educator, known internationally for her eclectic approach to creative music making, both through her catalogue of compositions alongside founding TrinityLaban’s Jazz Faculty, the National Youth Jazz Collective, Fuzzy Moon Records (celebrating 150 international musicians) and the critically acclaimed Interchange Dectet (championing 40 female improvisers and composers).

Vijay Mistry 

Vijay is the Artistic Director of 2Funky Arts, boasting 28 years of experience in the arts, music, and venue management sectors. His journey began in 1997 with the establishment of a record store, which evolved into a prominent Leicester brand. Under Vijay's leadership, 2Funky Arts has become a vital force in promoting Black-origin arts, offering diverse programs that engage and inspire the community. His innovative approach and dedication to sustainability have solidified 2Funky Arts' position as a cornerstone of Leicester's cultural landscape.